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Businesses aim to get green travel policies on track

Posted on January 17, 2024 by dishanth

New survey reveals four out of five SMEs intend to take steps to encourage employees to embrace lower carbon travel options.

Over 80 per cent of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) intend to increase their support for lower carbon business travel through corporate travel policies and budgets for 2024.

That is the headline finding from a new survey of over 500 decision makers at businesses with fewer than 250 employees commissioned by Trainline Partner Solutions, the B2B arm of Trainline.

The survey found nine in 10 UK SMEs expect to boost travel expenditure this year, while 92 per cent expect to see levels of business travel increase.

However, at the same time 83 per cent intend to strengthen their travel policy and/or financial support to make it easier for employees to opt for lower carbon travel modes in 2024. Specifically, 48 per cent are planning to use rail more to help reduce their emissions from business travel.

The survey also found 52 per cent of respondents have already set targets for reducing their emissions from business travel – and of those SMEs that have no such goals, two-thirds think it is likely their company will set a target this year.

“Businesses are telling us they expect to both travel and spend more this year as business travel continues to rebound post-Covid,” said Andrew Cruttenden, general manager at Trainline Partner Solutions. “We’re seeing a clear signal that sustainability considerations are a growing factor in setting travel policies and budgets, and rail is a great way to reduce the carbon emissions for travel versus flying and driving. Carriers and travel partners must ensure they can meet this growing demand by innovating and investing in the right tech that helps make rail a simple and seamless option for business travellers.”

Most businesses have slashed travel-related emissions in recent years, after the covid pandemic triggered widespread use of video conferencing platforms. However, business travels are expected to continue to recover this year, prompting calls for businesses and policymakers to incentivise wider use of lower emission forms of travel.

For example, the Climate Perks campaign has called on companies to offer employees extra days off if they use rail for their holidays, while green groups have repeatedly called for businesses to eschew the use of short haul flights wherever rail offers a viable alternative.

However, efforts to encourage wider use of rail have been hampered by the relatively high cost of rail compared to flights, with a Greenpeace analysis last month pointing to how popular rail routes across Europe over the festive period were on average 3.4 times more expensive than equivalent flights.

As such, campaigners are continuing to call on governments to introduce new policies and taxes to curb the availability of short haul flights and tackle the price differential between rail journeys and flights.

Source – BusinessGreen

Researchers In Syria Have Discovered Concrete Recycling Method

Posted on May 2, 2023 by dishanth

War is hell. This sentiment has been repeated throughout human history as the devastation and destruction of countries and communities it causes is incalculable. Syria is a prime example of how civil or otherwise war can destroy a society and its infrastructure.

The war began in the context of high youth unemployment, drought, a one-party dictatorship that crushed basic human freedoms and dignity, and extreme wealth inequality. It was a surprise to no one that in 2011, insurgency by oppressed groups in the region began in earnest, spiralling Syria into a conflict that continues to this day with no end in sight. The devastation this war has brought has caused 5.7 million people to flee the country due to the risk that the war has brought to their lives.

The war destroyed 130,000 buildings, many of these the homes of everyday people and their businesses. All this destruction is horrible, and as if they hadn’t experienced enough of it, Syria fell victim to a 7.7 Richter earthquake in February, expanding the damage even further. However, despite all this horrific destruction, serious efforts have been made to expedite the recovery and reconstruction of this battered country. 70% of the 130,000 buildings destroyed were made of reinforced concrete. Scientists have discovered that they can use a significant amount of this rubble to create new concrete, recycling what is there and saving costs compared to importing new concrete.

The study led by Professor Abdulkader Rashwani proved that recycled concrete made from the rubble of old buildings doesn’t significantly impact the mechanical performance of the new concrete. This is the first time recycled concrete has been proven to do this, as other attempts in other countries have been made. Still, due to the disparity in methods of manufacture, mechanical performance hasn’t been guaranteed. When people return, they will want to rebuild the buildings that had been destroyed.

Transportation of raw materials is one of the highest costs, and aggregate being increasingly scarce makes recycling existing materials necessary. This recycled concrete is made by crushing the rubble, removing any steel or textiles, and washing the resulting aggregate. The fine material washed out is sand and cement, and it is also being studied to determine if it can be reused.

The material was then tested for tensile and compressive strength and how much water, co2, and chlorine were absorbed. The concrete passed all of the tests, and now the protocol stands as a model for other war-torn or earthquake-damaged countries to rebuild their cities and communities. In an interview with the Guardian, Professor Rashwani said, “It was our duty to help the people there, a lot of people needed our help, so we went there and forgot about all the bad consequences. We have now started to go to some local councils and help them to put some plans in place for the future. We can at least try to make this region safer and give people some hope.”

The costs of war and conflict between nations and nations between people are often horrendous and often borne by the innocent. Most of the buildings destroyed in the fighting were homes of families and individuals who had nothing to do with the war. Yet still, they are left without homes in their home countries. Having a plan with new methods to guarantee quick reconstruction of these buildings is crucial.

The added benefit of this research is that it is a model that can be applied in other places outside Syria. Syria is simply one country at war right now, and if the path of human history indicates what’s to come, it won’t be the last one either. This research is invaluable for the everyday people ravaged by conflict or disaster, now and in the future.

Source Happy Eco News

New superyacht is virtually INVISIBLE with mirrored glass to reflect sky and clouds

Posted on March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 by dishanth

A jaw-dropping new superyacht has been designed to be virtually invisible – with mirrored glass to reflect the sky, clouds and surrounding environment.

The Pegasus aims to be the world’s first 3D-printed vessel, its designer Jozeph Forakis said.

The 88m yacht’s design means it is “invisible both in design and in her environmental impact”, Mr Forakis added.

He explained that reflecting “Solar Wings” would provide solar-electric power in tandem with a hydrogen hybrid source.

The glass of the superstructure incorporates transparent solar panels to power electrolysers extracting hydrogen from seawater.

Fuel cells then convert hydrogen to electricity stored in Li-ion batteries for powering azimuth pods, a type of engine, and all operating and hotel systems.

The theme of zero emissions is also reflected in a multi-level “Tree of Life” hydroponic garden, providing fresh food and air purification.

The interior of the yacht features four levels connected by a sculptural spiral staircase.

There is a spacious guest lounge showcasing minimalist design and living nature, both inside – with living greenery – as well outside with uninterrupted views in all directions.

The top level is exclusive to the owner, with forward facing master suite featuring a large private terrace.

The forward pool club has an aquarium-style lap pool and expansive horizontal windows that transform into open balconies on both port and starboard. When closed, the pool cover functions as the helipad.

At the aft of the ship, the open beach club with an oversized jacuzzi and fold-down balconies transforms into an enclosed solarium with sliding glass panels across the ceiling and down the transom bulkhead.

The superyacht’s construction would use robotic 3D printing to create a mesh framework integrating both hull and superstructure.

The result would be an extraordinarily strong and lightweight structure that can be produced using less energy, material, waste, space, and time compared to conventional construction.

The futuristic yacht was conceived on a beach in Koufonisia, Greece.

Mr Forakis explains: “I was inspired to create a yacht as close to the sea and nature as possible, made of clouds floating above the waterline.

“I wanted to honour nature by blending into it, becoming virtually invisible.”

He adds: “Now is the time for courageous leaps toward our collective sustainable future.

“Pegasus is a bold but achievable vision for the near future of the superyacht industry, where man and machine live in harmony with nature rather than competing or compromising it.”

With no price formally announced yet, the Pegasus has been prepared to show to interested shipyards and could be in production by 2030.

Source Mirror

Irizar’s ieTram EV to be installed along London bus route

Posted on November 8, 2022 by dishanth

The streets of the UK capital will soon be traversed by the bus of the future after Transport for London (TfL) announced the rollout of 20 new electric buses which are expected to be in place along the 358 route (Crystal Palace to Orpington) by 2023.

The vehicles – known as the ieTram – were purchased by Go Ahead, the city’s largest bus operator, from e-mobility manufacturer Irizar. As part of the deal, the Spanish company will also be installing the electric charging infrastructure.

The details of the new EV public transport technology

This technology uses an inverted pantograph system that connects to the roof of the bus. With this in place, the new vehicles will be capable of recharging in under ten minutes upon the completion of a route.

According to a release from Irizar: “The buses will be powered by state-of-the-art batteries… and will be charged between trips using two fast charging inverted pantograph systems to be installed at Crystal Palace and Orpington Bus Stations, allowing the buses to be charged in less than five minutes and enabling them to perform the required service effortlessly.”

Thus far, pantograph technology has only been installed on one other bus route in the city (the 132, from North Greenwich to Bexleyheath).

The speed at which it allows recharging is a marked improvement on what TfL’s fleet can typically do, as the vast majority of London’s 850 electric buses must charge overnight in a garage.

For Irizar, the 12-metre-long buses also mark the company’s first foray into right-hand-side driving.

London has been working hard to make its transportation networks more sustainable. As a part of its Bus Action Plan, this move marks the latest in TfL’s efforts to have a zero-emission bus fleet by 2034. There is a hope, too, that with additional funding, this target can be brought forward to 2030.

Source Sustainability

Flying cars – can they justify getting off the ground?

Posted on October 25, 2022 by dishanth

The original 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner was set in a dystopian ‘future’ of 2017. In that movie, flying cars abound, darting between neon signs and soaring skyscrapers that would put Vegas and Dubai to shame.

The reality of urban mobility in 2022 is very different. Not only has air and land transport changed little since the 1960s, we are still highly reliant on fossil fuels for our daily commute.

Yes EVs are taking off, but not literally. That is, unless you follow the handful of projects that have moved beyond prototype into workable, autonomous, flying taxis. And while it is easy to dismiss some of the hundreds of projects as gimmicks destined to fail, there are some serious multinational players entering the flying fray.

Like Volkswagen. Recently the world’s second largest automobile manufacturer (it held top position until overtaken by Toyota in 2020) unveiled the Flying Tiger – a drone-like electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicle from the group’s China division.

“The launch of this stunning validation model is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel, and a perfect example of our ‘From China, For China’ mission,” says Dr Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China.

The company says it will pitch Flying Tiger as a premium product for high-net-worth customers in China with a penchant for technology who wish to use the aircraft for VIP air shuttle services. In many regards, it’s a straight replacement for a helicopter – but could these autonomous, pilot-less drones really replace the motor car? And if they did, what impact would that have on the panet?

Airbus – the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer in terms of revenue and number of deliveries – certainly sees a place for these eVTOLs, and has done more than most when it comes to a proof of concept. In fact, Airbus has quietly spent years researching and developing not one but two flying demonstrators (CityAirbus and Vahana), and is now working on a new CityAirbus NextGen. This fully electric vehicle is equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers. It is designed to carry up to four passengers in zero-emissions flight for multiple applications, has a range of 80km and top speed of 120km/h.

A recent report from McKinsey entitled Advanced Air Mobility in 2030 discusses the future of air mobility, and the potential for these flying electric vehicles to replace taxis, not just helicopters.

One of those report authors, Robin Riedel, says we will have aircraft that are much smaller than today’s aircraft, and they will be much more accessible. They’re going to land in your neighbourhoods. You might take a short car ride or a micro mobility scooter ride to get to the vertiport, and you’ll go through there just like you do at a taxi stand today. You’ll get on an aircraft that will take you quite rapidly across the city or to the next city or anywhere within a 100- or 150-mile radius.

Could these overgrown kids toys really change the way that we move around our towns and cities?
Gary Vermaak is an advisor, consultant and ecosystem developer focusing on renewable / sustainable energy, logistics, mining and mobility. A self-proclaimed futurist and practical climate warrior, he says he aims to find the best available, commercial technologies to solve real problems. He also serves as the Secretariat, and Africa Chapter Director, for the Drone Logistics Ecosystem, with members in 21 countries.

“It’s unlikely that regulators will permit the carrying of passengers over urban areas any time soon, other than in very controlled flight lanes over open areas like rivers or rights of way,” he says.

“While there are no pedestrians and fewer obstacles in the air, flying in the ‘concrete jungle’ poses similar challenges due to wind channels and turbulence caused by large buildings, not to mention the risks of bird strikes. One must also remember that unlike an autonomous road or rail vehicle, an aircraft cannot be brought to a controlled stop by cutting the power or applying emergency brakes.”

Regardless of the restrictions and regulatory hurdles (which are going to be far more stringent in the US and Europe than in other geographies), just how sustainable are these vehicles anyway? Many of the manufacturers are positioning them as a sustainable, zero-emissions solution to road cars, taxis, or even trains and buses for short intercity journeys.

“While electric flying taxis, and air shuttles, are a mid mile, not door to door, they are very energy inefficient compared to other midmile electric options, like trains and buses,” says Vermaak. “They will complement, not compete with, getting people out of their (autonomous) EVs. For urban air mobility (UAM), trips under 100km, even a winged 4/5 seated eVTOL, is less efficient than a Tesla Model 3 per passenger mile.”

One of the projects with a longer pedigree and backing from Google co-founder Larry Page, is Kittyhawk. This is a single-person, remotely-piloted electric aircraft that hopes to make flying taxis affordable, ubiquitous and eco-conscious. Founder Sebastian Thrun aims to build an aircraft that can be mass produced at automotive scale and cost, and the H2 can fly up to 100 miles on a single charge, at 180mph.

As Kittyhawk says, “if you want the greenest electric aviation measured in power used per mile, be small, have a wing, don’t have an onboard pilot and land anywhere. That’s the Kittyhawk model!”.

Vermaak comments that while the single seater KittyHawk claims to be more efficient than a Tesla Model S, it would not be more efficient than a comparable EV, such as an electric motorbike.

“The technology will keep improving and we are certain to see the first autonomous civilian cargo aircraft operations in Europe and the US, and we may see the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) allowing commercial passenger flying taxi operations in dedicated UAM flight lanes in some Chinese cities,” concludes Vermaak, while adding that public perception will be a significant barrier to uptake.

That may be true, but consider these facts. The aviation industry has a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, but there are currently no commercially available methods to do this. In 2019 the sector produced around 1Gt of CO2e, accounting for 2% of annual global CO2 emissions. That number is set to more than double by 2050.

While the answer to how the aviation industry meets the public’s insatiable appetite for travel while meeting net-zero targets is a multi-layered one, UAM could provide a slice of the solution.

Source Sustainability

Solar-powered electric vehicles move one step closer to market

Posted on July 26, 2022 by dishanth

Solar-powered electric vehicles are one step closer to reality.

On Monday, solar EV company Sono Motors released the production design for its passenger car, dubbed the Sion, as well as for its “solar bus kit” designed for public transportation fleets across Europe.

“Basically every moving object can be equipped with that solar technology,” Sono co-founder and CEO Jona Christians told Protocol, including buses, trucks, trains and even ships.

The four-door Sion is a simple electric hatchback that’s compact but still spacious by European standards. What sets it apart from other EVs are the solar panels set into the body of the car on all sides. These will allow the Sion to generate its own electricity, which can add up to roughly 150 miles of range per week to the regular battery and create “full self-sufficiency on short distances,” per the Sono website.

The Sion’s solar panels will allow the vehicle to generate its own electricity, adding up to about 150 miles of range per week to the regular battery.Photo: Sono Motors

Over the past five years, Sono developed the technology to do more than just slap some solar panels on the roof of the Sion.

“We had to develop a completely new technology and get experts from the automotive sector and from the solar sector and let them sit together,” Christians said. “Because these were two separate industries, and they did not talk with each other so much. And so we had to have … the experts sit together and bring up solutions that are automotive-grade and made to be really durable and sustainable.”

Sono left behind the fragile and heavy glass encasements that solar panels typically rely on in favor of monocrystalline silicon cells protected by a layer of polymer, integrated into the body of the car itself. The polymer is shatterproof and provides extra protection for the cells in the case of collision.

Sono signed a binding contract with Finnish manufacturer Valmet Automotive in April and already has at least 19,000 pre-order customers, all of whom have already paid a down payment of roughly 2,000 euros (though these payments are refundable once the car is available).

While the Sion is Sono’s flagship, it represents just the first of Sono’s two pillars. The company’s solar bus kit is the tip of the potentially fruitful iceberg of licensing its technology to other, non-Sono vehicle makers. Christians said the company’s focus is divided “fifty-fifty” between these two priorities, as both have huge potential for growth.

Sono co-founder Jona Christians said the company’s focus is divided “fifty-fifty” between its passenger vehicle and a solar bus kit.Photo: Sono Motors

“In Europe alone, there are 80,000 buses driving around, and all of these buses have the potential to integrate solar,” Christians said, pointing out that just a few manufacturers make the vast majority of Europe’s fleet. Sono adapted its bus kit to fit the most common models. While the buses are primarily diesel-powered, the addition of the solar panels can generate enough power to run the buses’ auxiliary systems, such as lights, heating and cooling. Sono estimates that the systems save nearly 400 gallons of diesel per bus per year.

The company is also in talks with other automakers to share its technology. “We don’t want to simply keep it for ourselves,” Christians said. “There is a bigger problem, and that’s climate change.”

For the time being, Sono is focused on the European market, though it has seen interest from other markets. Of its 19 unnamed B2B partners, Sono already has one in the U.S. applying Sono solar technology to its own vehicles.

Sono’s model brings together two emerging trends as the world looks to address climate change: The price of solar technology has fallen even as efficiency has improved, while at the same time, the public is clamoring for EVs.

Of course, Sono is also emerging right as the supply chain of critical minerals needed for both batteries and solar tech is in serious trouble, something Christians acknowledged has had an impact. He expressed optimism at the company’s path ahead, though.

“Because production will start next year, we are still able to adapt and change to make sure we have all materials in place,” he said.

Sono has suffered major production delays in the past — its first round of pre-orders was set for delivery in 2019 — which have cost the company, at the very least reputationally. Sono went public in November 2021, which brought the influx of cash it needed to get to this production design step.

The Sion is set for delivery in early 2023.

Source Protocol

IPPR sets out vision for delivering a fair and accessible net zero transport network

Posted on July 12, 2022 by dishanth

Newly established Fair Transition Unit publishes report outlining how to ensure a fair national transition to a net zero transport system.

The government needs to fine-tune its vision for improving the future of transport and should make the shift from cars to walking, cycling, and public transport more accessible if it wants to hit its net zero targets, a new report has warned.

Progressive think tank IPPR’s newly established Fair Transition Unit published a new report late last week titled Where next? A briefing on uncertainty in transport’s path to net zero, which warned there is considerable uncertainty over the future of the transport sector that is “being exacerbated by incoherent government policy”.

“Right now, we risk sleep walking towards a future where the inequalities in our transport system are entrenched rather than tackled,” said Becca Massey-Chase, IPPR principal research fellow. “Policymakers should seize the opportunity of the transition to net zero to improve people’s lives by enabling a wider shift from cars to walking, cycling and public transport.”

The IPPR urged the government to “embed a more equitable vision for the future of transport” in its net zero strategy. Specifically, it called on government to establish a national strategy for delivering net zero transport that provides direction, coordination, investment, and coherent communication to shape public behaviour, transport demand, the application of new technology, and sector activity.

The think tank outlined a number of policy recommendations that could deliver a “more desirable future of transport”, including promoting more active travel, such as cycling and walking, and placing public transport at the heart of the transport system. It added that there should also be better planning, more local amenities, jobs, and enhanced digital infrastructure to reduce the need for regular long-distance travel.

It also advised that road use by personal vehicles should be curbed, electric vehicles (EVs) should be made available to anyone who needs them, and shared mobility schemes and alternatives should be set up to reduce the need to drive. If there were less cars on the road, then more street space could be allocated to cycling, walking, and nature, the report argued. Such an approach, “would ensure the benefits of the transport transition are fairly shared”, the IPPR said.

“Decarbonisation of transport shows that for policymakers, it’s all too easy to drift towards the safe space of seeing travel behaviour and the transition as a force outside our control,” said Luke Murphy, head of the IPPR Fair Transition Unit .”We must move beyond just predicting and towards shaping demand. Good policy, shaped by public engagement, can ensure a fair transition for transport that doesn’t just cut emissions, but also boosts health, wellbeing, and nature.”

The researchers also warned that further guidance is needed to alleviate “the injustices” of the current transport system, which include higher levels of air pollution and traffic accidents for people living in poorer neighbourhoods.

It added that policymakers are often left in a position where they are forced to react to changing demand, technology, and events, rather than working towards a clear long term plan to end emissions from transport.

The Department for Transport has described its approach as “not about stopping people doing things: it’s about doing the same things differently”. However, the IPPR warned this approach would inevitably focus on people swapping fossil fuel vehicles for EVs rather than seeking to establish new approaches to transport that favour public transport, active travel, and walkable communities. The report also argued that simply relying on a switch to EVs would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest in society and fail to access the social, health, and wellbeing benefits offered by alternative approaches.

In response to the report a Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The government has a clear plan for the decarbonisation of transport. We have set an ambitious and credible pathway to reducing transport emissions that includes a focus on public transport and active travel.

“We have committed an unprecedented £2bn of funding for active travel over five years and recently published our second cycling and walking investment strategy which sets out objectives and investment to 2025.”

Source Business Green

British startup Tevva launches hydrogen-electric truck with 310-mile range

Posted on July 4, 2022 by dishanth

KEY POINTS
According to Tevva, which says it has raised $140 million in funding, its vehicle will have a range of as much as 310 miles.

The company says its first hydrogen electric truck will weigh 7.5 metric tons, with later versions planned to weigh 12 and 19 metric tons.

While there is excitement in some quarters about the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles, there are hurdles when it comes to expanding the sector.

U.K.-based startup Tevva on Thursday launched a hydrogen-electric heavy goods vehicle, becoming the latest company to make a play in a sector attracting interest from multinationals like Daimler Truck and Volvo.

According to Tevva, which says it has raised $140 million in funding, its vehicle will have a range of as much as 310 miles, or slightly under 500 kilometers.

Refilling the hydrogen tanks will take 10 minutes while charging the battery “from fully depleted to 100%” will take five to six hours.

The company’s first hydrogen-electric truck will weigh 7.5 metric tons, with later versions planned to weigh 12 and 19 metric tons.

In a statement, Tevva sought to explain the rationale behind combining a fuel cell and battery. “The fuel cell system tops up the battery, extending the vehicle’s range and allowing the truck to carry heavier loads over longer distances.”

Alongside its hydrogen-electric truck, the business has also developed an electric truck that it says has a range of up to 160 miles. Details of both the electric and hydrogen-electric trucks had been previously announced by Tevva.

In an interview with CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Thursday, Tevva CEO Asher Bennett was asked whether his company was looking to diversify into smaller vehicles.

“We’re not interested in developing the smaller vans or the pickup trucks,” Bennett said. “Those are, in many instances, very similar technology to the larger EV sedans, which work very well,” he added.

“We’re very focused on the heavy goods trucks and we’re slowly going heavier and heavier because those are the segments that are much harder to electrify.”

With governments around the world looking to reduce the environmental footprint of transportation, a number of companies in the trucking sector are exploring ways to develop low and zero-emission vehicles, including ones that use hydrogen.

Last month, Volvo Trucks said it began to test vehicles that use “fuel cells powered by hydrogen,” with the Swedish firm claiming their range could extend to as much as 1,000 kilometers, or a little over 621 miles.

Gothenburg-headquartered Volvo Trucks said refueling of the vehicles would take under 15 minutes. Customer pilots are set to begin in the next few years, with commercialization “planned for the latter part of this decade.”

Alongside hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Volvo Trucks — which is part of the Volvo Group — has also developed battery-electric trucks.

Like Volvo Trucks and Tevva, Daimler Truck is focusing on both battery-electric vehicles and ones that use hydrogen.

In an interview with CNBC last year, Martin Daum, chairman of the board of management at Daimler Truck, was asked about the debate between battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cells.

“We go for both because both … make sense,” he replied, before explaining how different technologies would be appropriate in different scenarios.

While there is excitement in some quarters about the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles, there are hurdles when it comes to expanding the sector, not least when it comes to the development of adequate refueling infrastructure. The way hydrogen is produced is also an issue.

Both of these points were acknowledged by Volvo Trucks in June when it pointed to challenges including the “large-scale supply of green hydrogen” as well as “the fact that refueling infrastructure for heavy vehicles is yet to be developed.”

Hydrogen can be produced in a number of ways. One method includes using electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source such as wind or solar then some call it “green” or “renewable” hydrogen. Today, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels.

For its part, Tevva said it would help its customers “access sustainable and affordable hydrogen supplies safely and conveniently, alongside their purchase or lease of Tevva Hydrogen Trucks.”

Source CNBC

M&S adds 20 biomethane trucks to fleet through DHL partnership

Posted on June 16, 2022June 15, 2022 by dishanth

DHL Supply Chain announced the launch of the 20 vehicles, which are Volvo’s FH Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tractor unit models with Globetrotter cabs, on Monday morning (13 June). They will be used to transport M&S products across the retailer’s routes in Peterborough, Swindon and Castle Donington, replacing pure diesel models.

An 80% reduction in tailpipe emissions is expected to be delivered through the introduction of the trucks, which will be powered using bio-based LNG. DHL last year began sourcing bio-LNG from Shell, which produces the fuel from agricultural waste, to power trucks for Danish pump manufacturer Grundfos. edie has requested information on the source of the bio-LNG for M&S.

Should non-renewable LNG need to be used to power the trucks at any point, they will still generate 10-20% less tailpipe emissions than their diesel predecessor, DHL said in a statement.

DHL is notably aiming to operate more than 500 LNG-powered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Europe by 2025, as it works towards net-zero by 2050. The company promised to set verified 2030 emissions reduction targets through the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) last year to support this long-term vision, and pledged €7bn to deliver decarbonisation. It is yet to gain SBTi approval for these targets.

Other low-carbon transport commitments already unveiled by DHL include operating more than 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles globally by 2030. The firm confirmed in March that it will add at least 270 new electric vans to its UK fleet by September, following the launch of 100 in 2021.

As for M&S, the retailer updated its flagship ‘Plan A’ sustainability strategy last September, with major commitments to net-zero operations by 2035 and a net-zero supply chain by 2040 among the new additions. Plan A’s webpage lists ‘zero-emissions transport’ as a priority through to 2025 – but M&S is yet to set new targets for sourcing a certain number of certain vehicles within set timeframes.

M&S’s head of transport Tim Greenwood said: “We are committed to reducing our environmental impact in line with our Plan A sustainability action plan. It’s important to us that our partners’ values and ambitions align with ours and that’s one of the reasons we have a long-standing relationship with DHL. Replacing diesel trucks for brand new bio-LNG vehicles is a good step forward in reducing our carbon emissions.”

Biogas backers

Other businesses investing in biogas trucks to reduce transport emissions include brewer Anheuser-Busch, Evri (formerly Hermes) Royal Mail and M&S competitor John Lewis Partnership, which owns Waitrose & Partners.

To date, it has been easier for many businesses to replace diesel HGVs with those powered by alternative fuels such as bio-LNG than with electric alternatives. The larger and heavier a vehicle is, the more challenging it is to electrify while retaining the same performance.

However, a new generation of electric HGVs is beginning to emerge. Sainsbury’s trialled fully electric refrigerated trailer lorries last year, integrated them into its fleet this year, and is now developing smart charging solutions for them.

Aldi UK is also trialling similar vehicles, assessing their performance in comparison to those powered with alternative fuels – as are Amazon and Carlsberg Group.

Source edie

Meet Jetson One: The eVTOL Aircraft You Build Yourself

Posted on November 1, 2021 by dishanth

Jetson Aerospace, namesake of the 1960s-era Hanna-Barbera cartoon, has unveiled its personal eVTOL aircraft, the Jetson One.

The Jetson One, revealed to the public last week, is a recreational ultralight eVTOL aircraft that doesn’t require a pilot certificate to fly. Pre-orders have already begun and it will only set you back $92,000, with some assembly required.

Upon delivery during summer of next year, the small eVTOL will arrive 50 percent assembled. The frame comes in one piece while the batteries and cables are up to you—with detailed instructions, of course.

“If you get the Jetson at lunchtime, you’re ready to fly by dinner.”

– —Peter Ternström, Jetson president and co-founder

He talked about the inspiration for the Jetson One.

“I wanted to have a little sports car for the sky,” Ternström said. “It has always been my dream since just a kid and finally now, the technology is available.”

The 190 lb. aircraft, powered by Tesla battery cells, only lasts about 20 minutes in the air. But the short battery life is of no concern to Ternström, however, as that’s not what Jetson is aiming for.

“The scope of the project is not to solve big issues like urban mobility or air taxis or something like that,” he said. “The Jetson is all about having fun.”

Think of the Jetson One as a Jet Ski—something you take out for a joyride, but can’t ride to work.

“It’s a profoundly ecstatic experience to fly this thing because it’s completely vibration-free,” Ternstöm said. “And it makes a buzzing noise like something from ‘Star Wars.’”

Just like vehicles you would find in “Star Wars,” the Jetson One comes packed with amazing technology. The bottom of the aircraft comes equipped with a LIDAR sensor, with software that limits how fast you can travel depending on your surroundings. Safety features include ballistic parachutes and zero-input hovering—just let go of the throttle and joystick and you’ll come to a peaceful stop mid-air.

According to Ternström, the Jetson One is designed to allow anyone to climb in and fly without the need for piloting experience. The eVTOL’s software also includes a “virtual cushion.” When landing, the aircraft slows down your descent to mitigate hard landings.

While you may not need a pilot certificate to fly the Jetson One, you may need one to purchase it. Ternström said that he wants the first customers to “know what they’re doing.”

“I am not going to sell it to anyone. Whether or not they like it or not, the first 30 people to receive their Jetson, they are going to be ambassadors for the brand because the level of attention they’re going to get with their flying device is going to be astronomical,” he said. “That’s why I’m selecting people.”

Still, if you manage to get inside one, no training will be required. The Jetson One, in the U.S., will be classified as an ultralight vehicle that will not be required to attain any airworthiness certifications.

“It offers them some flexibility, it offers them also some restrictions that aren’t part of the usual aircraft world,” said Dick Knapinski, director of communications at EAA.

Due to its classification, the Jetson One will not be permitted to fly in populated areas or controlled airspace.

Knapinski believes there are three things that stand in the way of a successful eVTOL aircraft: the engineering, the regulatory process, and consumer acceptance.

“It appears the Jetson people have got a lot of the engineering down,” he said.

As for regulatory obstacles, Knapinski says technology oftentimes moves faster than regulations. It will take time for the Jetson One to deliver and to find its place within FAA certifications.

Finally, consumer acceptance is often the determining factor for any emerging technology.

“They can have the best innovation in the world. If they don’t sell many of them, they’re not going to be successful,” he said.

Knapinski hopes to see the Jetson One in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the near future.

Source Flying Mag